Sostenuto device for pianos.



E. V. HIBBSr SOSTENUTO DEVICE FOR PIANOS.

4 APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1916- 1,-234,474. I PatentedJuly 24,1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST VINCENT HIBBS, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

SOSTENUTO DEVICE FOE. PIANOS.

Application filed July 26, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, ERNEST VINCENT HIBBS, subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain Improvements in Sostenuto Devices for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in or in connection with pianos and has particular reference to the pedal damper action employed for sustaining particular notes or chords which are struck from time to time, the object being to enable only those notes or chords which are struck to be properly sustained without the sound being confused by previously sustainednotes.

This invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

My invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the application of my invention to an ordinary under type of damper action of a pianoforte,

Fig. 2 similar view showing its applica tion where the dampers are of the over type while Fig. 3 shows the application of the improvements to the damper action of a grand pianoforte.

In all the views referred to like parts are indicated by the same reference characters. I would also here have it understood that only so much of a pianoforte action is shown in each case to enable the application of the invention to be understood. Further, the invention may be applied to damper actions of other constructions not indicated in the drawings.

In carrying out my invention in connection with the under damper action shown in Fig. 1, I would say that a indicates the usual rail running longitudinally of the piano for supporting the dampers Z) and their attendant parts and likewise the hammer mechanism, which latter is not shown, 0 indicates one of the strings or wires, the damper being shown in contact with the latter. The arm d carrying the damper i pivoted at e and is normally pressed toward the wire 0 by the usual spring f so as to press the damper against the wire as indicated. In accordance with my inven- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1917.

Serial No. 111,415.

outer end of the peg. The lower end of the latter is coned to fit in a corresponding coned hole in the rod h, the friction between the parts holding the peg firmly but so as to allow of its being readily turned around when required to adjust the length of the tape 9. The adjustment can be carried out by the usual pianoforte tuners key. The other end of the tape 9 is then coiled once around the damper wire is freely and is finally coupled to the free end m of a coiled spring a, the other end of which is secured by a screw 0 to a rock shaft or rod 79. The rods h and 7) run longitudinally of the piano, the former being fixed rigidly in position while the latter is capable of oscillation about its axis. The rod 79 may be of wood or other suitable material but a convenient construction is to make the center portion of wood surrounded by a metal tube g, the latter having a hole opposite each damper to permit of the passage of the screw 0 into the wooden core. The rod p carries an arm r adapted to be raised by any suitable actuating device, such as a rod 8 and any approved form of pedal. When the pedal is out of action the tapes 9 are slack enough to enable the dampers b to wor; freely into and out of contact with the wires 0 when no notes are to be sus tained. The tapes are preferably arranged helically of the wires in so that there is no tendency for them to overlap during the movement referred to. \Vhen the pedal is brought into action the rod 7) is turned about its axis, causing the springs n to tighten the tapes around the wires 70 so that when the dampers Z) are pulled away from the wires 0 by the action of playing a note or chord, the friction set up between the wires and tapes prevents the dampers making contact with the wires or springs 0, thus sustaining the desired note or notes. The release of the pedal allows the parts to resume their normal action.

In the over damper arrangement shown in Fig. 2 the tapes 9 are arranged to eXercise friction against the nose .9 of the usual weighted arm 73 pivoted at '14 and raised and lowered by the wire rod 7) in the well known way. In this case the tape 9 is coupled at its ends in the same way as that already described, its intermediate portion passing through the usual slot 10 forming part of the ordinary knuckle joint connection between the arm t and rod 1). The rods h and p are arranged out of line with each other so that the tape is slightly bent about the point of contact with the nose 8 of arm t. lVhen the pedal is out of action the arms 25 rise and fall freely, the tapes 9 being slack. lLVhen in .action the tapes are drawn tight and the arms are retained in the lifted position with the dampers free of the strings or wires ,0. In the over damper action the tapes can be arranged around the vertical portion 7a of the wires [a in the manner referred to in connection with Fig. 1.

3 shows a grand piano damper action in which the tapes and their'connections are arranged in the same manner as in Fig. 2. y

hat I claim my invention .and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. The .combination, with a piano having a pivoted damper lever, .of a sostenuto at- ,tachment comprising a flexible connection engaging with the damper lever, and means for drawing the flexible connection into frictional contact with the damper lever at will so as to retard the operation of the damper.

2. The combination, with a piano having a pivoted damper lever, of a sostenuto attachment comprising a flexible connection engaging with the damper lever, a stationary support for one end of the flexible connection, and a device connected to the other end of the flexible connection and operating to draw its middle part into frictional contact with the damper lever so as to retard the operation of the damper.

3. The combination, with a piano having pivoted damper lever, of a sostenuto at tachment comprising a flexible connection, a support for one end of the flexible connection, an adjustable tightening device connecting the flexible connection with the said support, and a device connected to the other end of the flexible connection and operating to draw its middle part on the damper lever.

t. The combination, with a piano having a pivoted damper lever, of a sostenuto at tachinent comprising a flexible connection, a support for one end of the flexible eon nection, a pivoted rockshaft provided with means for operating it at will, and a spring arm secured to the rockshaft and having its a free end attached to the other end of the flexible connection and operating to draw its middle part on the damper lever.

5. The combination, with a piano having a pivoted damper lever, of a sostenuto attachment comprising a flexible connection having its middle part wound spirally around the said lever, a support for one end of the flexible connection, and a device connected to the other end of the flexible connection and operating to draw it into frictional contact with the damper lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto .set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST VINCENT HIBBS. Vitnesses AMY EvnLrNE EvINs, WILLIAM H. TAYLOR.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

W hin n D- 

